MIndy’s CallIng

Food
& Recipes
For chef Michael
Psilakis, size matters.
But it didn’t always—and it
showed. At one point,
Psilakis’ weight pushed the
300-pound mark. What he
ate, whether it was his
favorite Greek food or not,
didn’t matter. He simply ate
too much of everything.
“Greek food is really healthy,
but only as long as you
control the portions,” says
43-year-old Psilakis.
A few years ago, he committed
to smaller plates,
and soon he was smaller
too. “The weight just came
off,” says Psilakis, who shed
about 80 pounds. “People
who have never been really
heavy don’t realize the strain
it puts on the body. It’s like
having a 100-pound dumbbell
on your shoulders.”
off the menu
Michael Psilakis
Chef/OwneR
fIShtAG, kefI, MP tAveRnA
new YORk CItY
Be like Mike
As the weight disappeared,
so did the pains in
his back, knees, and feet.
Eventually, he could tie his
shoes again, and a flight of
stairs no longer winded him.
The keys to taking off
weight, he says, are the same
Be like Mike
as those for keeping it off:
commitment and conditioning.
Once he decided to slim
down, he had to train himself
to eat only at mealtimes
and to keep portion sizes
small. “I struggle with it
still,” he says, “but I’m committed
to a diet that allows
me to enjoy the things that
I want to eat but that keeps
me in better condition than
I’ve been in the past.”
One of his favorite foods
to make for himself and
friends is branzino on
the grill, an example of
the healthy, full-flavored
Greek dishes he was
raised on. “It reminds
me of my childhood
and fishing with my
father,” he says. “My
home cooking is geared
toward grilling outdoors.
I’ll grill anything, and I do
it year-round. It’s rare that
I’m inside cooking in the
kitchen.”—Matt McMillen
His go-to comfort food “If I’m cooking, it’s roasted leg
of lamb. On the street in New York? I’m always looking
for pizza.”
When he wants to lose 5 pounds, he eats “Salad. I love to
take a Greek salad with grilled chicken and chop it up so
that I can eat it with a spoon.”
Where he gets his best recipe ideas “The drive from my
home to each of my restaurants is at least 30 minutes.
That’s when I’m by myself and can think really deeply. I’ve
been known to miss my exit when I’m thinking about food.”
the one lesson every home cook should learn “When
cooking for family and friends, prepare food that will let you
focus on your guests rather than the stove. It’s not about
the food but the memory of sharing it with those you love.”
W ebMD.coM 52 JAN/FEB 2013
Grilled Branzino
With Warm salad
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Fish
4 branzinos, 1–2 lbs each,
scaled and gutted
olive oil for brushing fish
dash of salt and pepper
Warm salad
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, sliced thin
10 fingerling potatoes,
parboiled and set aside
24 cherry tomatoes, halved
24 kalamata olives, pitted
24 green olives, pitted
2 sweet onions, sliced into
rings, grilled, and set
aside
1 tbsp dried oregano
½ cup feta cheese
juice of 2 lemons
olive oil for drizzling
1 tbsp each of fresh
chopped parsley,
basil, and dill
Directions
1. Preheat grill to mediumhigh.
Brush fish with olive
oil, season with dash of
salt and pepper, and place
on grill. Char on each side
for about eight minutes
per side.
2. In large, heavy-bottomed
pan, add 2 tbsp olive oil
and heat through. Brown
garlic and potatoes, about
5 minutes. Add tomatoes,
olives, onions, oregano,
and feta cheese. Stir gently
to combine.
3. Transfer salad to a serving
platter and place the fish
on top of the warm salad.
Squeeze fresh lemon juice
on top, then drizzle with
olive oil and sprinkle with
fresh herbs.
Per serving
550 calories, 33 g protein,
83 g carbohydrate, 11 g fat (4 g
saturated fat), 63 mg cholesterol,
10 g fiber, 11 g sugar, 501 mg
sodium. Calories from fat: 20%
MICHAEL HARLAN TuRkELL